Adventures in Paradise 66

Adventures in Paradise 66

Kia Orana, everyone! Our excellent adventure continues with a remedial lesson on those things that I already knew. I have been reminded of the power of prayer, the strength of faith, the importance of trusting in the timing of One who knows best and the value of having loving friends and family. In many ways, last week was a week to forget, yet forgetting would mean letting go of treasured moments and Tender Mercies.

Almost two weeks ago, on Monday morning, Ward and I greeted two friends at the airport. They were arriving from Los Angeles and were looking forward to six days in our paradise. The morning played out as it most always has, as they were greeted with beautiful eis, kisses on the cheek and the promise of a week of adventure. It was to be the vacation of a lifetime. Sadly, the “adventure” did not go as planned. One week ago, on Wednesday evening, our American friend forgot, for just a moment that this island drives on the left side of the road. In that moment, her rental car struck a motorbike and injured its passenger.   

Moments after the accident our friend Tony, called to inform us that we were needed. This first phone call signaled the beginning of the involvement of people who cared and wanted to help. This help was not limited to those on this island. We experienced an influx of concern from those in America. It is beyond frightening to find oneself in a police station in a foreign country. This fear is exasperated when the police try to intimidate. As we became involved in the process here, advice from friends was offered, phone numbers for the American consulate in New Zealand were supplied and loving words of support were given. My friend, while in the midst of a police investigation, was dealing with the forfeiture of her passport and the unnerving prospect that she had injured someone. She quickly realized however, that she was not alone and that people were anxious to help. She also knew that caring people here and five-thousand miles away were praying for her. We were reminded of the adage that, “A friend in need is a friend indeed”.  We have all been buoyed up by the love and concern that we have experienced in these last few painfully long days.  In times of distress, this is a lesson that I am happy to relearn. 

During the next days, we became very aware of how we were being blessed with Tender Mercies.  While at the police station, after surrendering the passport, I called our friend David who arrived at the exact moment that the police chief was leaving the building. From that moment, we noticed that the chief’s ’demeanor changed and David became the one who spoke to the chief on our behalf. David was the one who convinced the chief to provide us with a court date on very short notice. When we realized that we should probably seek an attorney, again though a series of phone calls and “lucky” conversations, we managed to find the one attorney who had the expertise to help us. This attorney amazingly had an unusually open docket, so she was able to devote the extra time that this case needed. Oh yes, Sarah, our attorney, had lived next door to us here at the mission home and although we had not known her name, she knew us and that instant recognition also became a source of comfort.  During these last two weeks, we have had many such experiences. We have experienced people being in the right place at the right time, independent of our actions. There have been unexpected phone calls and bits of helpful information that seemed miraculously to appear just as they were needed. I cannot call these experiences happy coincidences, for I know them to be some of the Tender Mercies that bless our lives from time to time. I have been reminded of just what a blessing these Tender Mercies are in our lives.

While the Cook Islands have land court judges and JPs, there are no judges living in the islands to hear criminal matters or those matters requiring fines and jail sentences. We were unhappily surprised to learn that although we could present ourselves to be heard yesterday in court, the JP would only be able to set a return date for sentencing. My friend waited patiently for her turn, being fully accountable for her mistake as well as more than willing to pay for court costs, scooter repairs and hospital bills. She was anxious to make this right and quite honestly, having missed last weeks Saturday flight back to the US, was praying to be able to return this coming Saturday. My friend was not the only one praying and Ward and I were fasting as well. The case was heard and we were stunned when the JP scheduled her sentencing hearing for March 2! How could the court expect a tourist to extend her stay another month? This was not good news. The attorney had one more idea, but one that had never succeeded before. She petitioned New Zealand to provide a judge ( it would be Saturday there)  who would be willing to pronounce sentence and an order for passport return over the phone. So, the fast was extended, focusing on a favorable answer from New Zealand. Again, during this very stressful time, we were aware that the timing of events was indication of something other than mere coincidence. We felt strongly that the right people were put in our path at the right time. We spoke about this often during this last week. There was no mistaking the direction of One who knows best. I was constantly reminded of a quote by Elder Oaks when he spoke about timing. He said that having faith in Jesus Christ is learning to trust in the Lords timing. We were trusting! For me, the subject of the Lords timing is not a lesson that I have forgotten in my life. As we went to bed Thursday evening, there had been no call from a judge. I was amazed that I was as calm as I was. I was trusting in timing.

This morning (Friday in the Cooks, Saturday in New Zealand), we received word that there would be a teleconference at noon our time. That meant that a judge had agreed to come in on his Saturday and would hear the case and pass sentence! This was truly the miracle that we had been praying for. Did I mention that my friend had run out of her medicine and could not find it here? Yes, there were many concerns Friday morning. Then, as if on cue, we received a call that the young woman had been released from the hospital and was expected to make a full recovery. This news came just in time to share  with the judge. Might I mention again, that never in the recent history of the Cook Islands has there been a teleconference? We now refer to the attorney as Sarah the miracle worker, but I know that miracles come from another source and I believe that Sarah was given the guidance that she needed to make these arrangements.

My friend was ordered to pay for scooter repairs, lost wages for the young woman, hospital and court costs. The local bank was willing to provide Ward with the cash payment requested and the long lost passport was returned to the grateful owner. Oh, by the way, the bank does not usually make this sort of transaction, but they made an exception in our case. My friend will leave us tomorrow evening a week later than planned, but in profound gratitude for supportive and loving friends and family. She will not soon forget how many people prayed for her, nor has she missed noticing the Tender Mercies and the myriad of experiences concerning the “timing of things”. We here have all been reminded of just how much our Heavenly Father loves us and provides ways for us to be rescued.

So, as always, we are happy and trying to work hard. We have relearned old lessons this past two weeks. We hope that perhaps you may have been reminded as well of those moments in your life that included such lessons. We are grateful for the opportunity to witness miracles and to be reminded that we are watched over in this life. There is no need for us to provide photos this week, as I am sure that you get the picture.

Love, Ward and Susan                           Elder and Sister Belliston, serving in the Cooks     

Adventures in Paradise 65

Adventures in Paradise 65

Kia Orana, everyone! Our excellent adventure continues with more thoughts on transition. Having focused last week on the island culture and the memorable events of the past year and a half, I hope to leave you this week with a sense of who our new friends are and why they mean the world to us. Perhaps then you will understand why it will be so very painful to leave them.

It has been difficult to condense the relationships and experiences that we have treasured into a collection of photographs. The familiar phrase, “One picture is worth a thousand words”, seems inaccurate as we try to display these photos in a way where you might be able to appreciate these people for who they are and how they live their lives. Can I describe adequately the joy there is in living simply? Will you also be able to appreciate that our friends are happy just the way they are? Could you live here and come to see the island for what it is rather than what it is not?

I would like to introduce you to the life and times of our sweet friends, who are the people of the Cook Islands. Sit back, relax and enjoy your picture postcard visit to our little piece of heaven. It's just possible, that these are faces that you may come to miss as well when our blog leaves Rarotonga. By the way, it appears that as of Saturday, when our latest guests depart for America, we have no other bookings for the Hotel Belliston. Should you still wish to pay us a visit, kindly make your reservations promptly. Space is limited and this offer ends (we think) March 27.

                                                     Who and what will we miss?
                  

We will miss the fresh fruit that always accompanies a visit to Danny's house.

Thank you Danny for your generosity over the last sixteen months. We will miss you.

There will be no more worry about people falling out of open-bed trucks. I will not miss that!

This little dancer works for tips. We will miss donating every week at Saturday market.

Ward will miss the fresh fish that Ben and Peka George cook for him each Saturday.

We will miss the atmosphere of Saturday market

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President Napa is a busy businessman. I will miss his black pearls, Ward will miss his doughnuts and we will both miss his big smile

.

Ward will miss his best friend.

Chantal stopped working when her first baby was born so that she could be home with her little girl. To help provide for her family, she started designing and serwing aprons and table linens.  She is showing off her second daughter, Athena in front of her shop. This shop now employes three other young mothers who also wanted to work from home. We will miss her creativity.

I will miss Sunday morning drives to church. but I will not miss the worry over a little boy, who is eating a doughnut while not holding on tightly!

  

I will miss FHEs at the mission home. This is all one family!

I will miss seeing Angie on her new red scooter.

I will miss hearing touching stories. Larry, the American on the right returned from his mission and decided to see the world aboard a sailboat.When the boat docked in Rarotonga, he thought that it was the best place he had ever been. THEN he met  Ina, a beautiful island girl and he never went back to America. The rest as they say, is history.

This is Larry's wife, Ina. I will miss her and her beautiful head eis.

Yes, I will miss those eis!

I will miss the Rongo family, especially the smile of the little guy on the right. Priceless!

I will miss sharing smoothies with my friend, Heather. Heather was director of nursing at the hospital. She currently works for the local health services, is District Relief Society president and a Sunday school teacher.

  

I will not miss baby Belliston, because I am bringing him home with me. (I wish!)

I will miss my second home. Ka kite!

So, as always, we are happy and still trying to work hard. We are so grateful for the experience of a lifetime. We have learned so much about another people, their culture and the island that they love. In the process, we have learned much about ourselves as well. Hopefully, we will never be the same and that's just as it should be.

Love, Ward and Susan                                 Elder and Sister Belliston, serving in the Cooks

Adventures in Paradise 64

Adventures in Paradise 64

Kia Orana, everyone! Our excellent adventure continues with thoughts on transition, and  how it can change our perspective. Last Sunday, the Cook Islands were officially transferred from the Papeete, Tahiti mission to the Auckland, New Zealand mission. This transfer took place very quietly, and without much fanfare during a district conference. The meeting was presided over by Elder Watson of the Seventy and both mission presidents were in attendance. From my seat in the audience, I was an observer as President Sinjoux went from being the mission president who presided over the Cooks, to the former mission president. I watched his face as this transfer took place, and I could detect a subtle, but definite change in his countenance. I knew that President Sinjoux already missed the association he had enjoyed with the people of the Cook Islands. In that moment of transition, President Sinjoux’s perspective had changed.

We have all heard the saying that “ There is nothing more constant than change”, but I suppose the measure of who we are is in how well we adapt to and accept that change. While change can always be expected, our reaction to that change is often less predictable.  Many of us have bemoaned the trials of raising teenagers, only to find that one day, they are gown and living lives of their own. We are amazed in the end at how quickly time has passed and how our perspective on those few years has changed. Nostalgia sets in and we wish for the return of what once was. The transition to becoming an “empty-nester” can be daunting. It shifts our recollections of those years we spent with teenagers and most of us want those years back. As a disclaimer, I would just like to mention that my two boys were perfect teenagers. So, Travis and Jared, if you are reading this, you will realize that I have not been talking about either one of you!

So, where am I going with this? It is time for two missionaries serving in the Cooks to accept that our lives are beginning to change and we must face the fact that we are in transition mode. We have begun to see things differently. We are now viewing our life here through the eyes of someone who is trying to commit so many people, places and experiences to memory. For this reason, I am including more photos than usual. What follows is a collection of vignettes that speak to us of events that we have enjoyed here. Next week, we will introduce you to many of the dear friends who are making the reality of our transition more than a little painful.

Elder Watson and Ward just prior to the district conference. Elder Watson presided over the mission transfer.  As a side note, we found that Sister Watson and I both attended Bountiful High School AND the Watsons now live one street behind where I lived while growing up. It is a very small world! 

 

We enjoyed a meal with Presient Sinjoux of Tahiti, President Lekias of New Zealand and Elder Watson. President Lekias told us that he has learned to never say goodbye. Instead he always says, " I will see you later" Yes, President Sinjoux, we will definitely see you later. 

We are trying to commit beautiful views of our island to our permanent memory bank.

We will always be touched by the respect the islanders show to their deceased family members.

We will always have fond memories of driving on the "wrong" side of the street. But it is the beauty of each day here that will remain in our hearts.

We were surprised to learn that each banana tree only produces one bunch of bananas. After the bananas are harvested, the tree dies and another one shoots up in its place.

We will alwaysbe touched by the generosity of people who live in very humble surroundings.

Like snowflakes, no two sunsets are alike and they are all stunning here. We have never seen such colorful sunsets anywhere else in the world. We will miss our private light show each evening.

This gathering of canoe racers was just one of many events held on the island. I was impressed that for such a small place, there were always so many events scheduled. These events always included many locals as well as tourists and kept life very active and interesting.

Kite surfing is becoming very popular here. The big challenge is to keep yourself away from the reef. The white water marks the location of that reef.

I will never forget the availability of fresh, exotic flowers. A friend picked these orchids and shared them with us. They are stunning!

This is the Rarotongan version of a car dealership. We knew that our new car would be arriving soon, so we would visit the dock to see what the ship brought in. It turned out that this was not our car and after a two-year wait, our car arrived three ships later!

As part of a recent celebration, Avarua participated in a contest to decorate the town's buildings. Only fresh greens and native flowers could be used. This is the Ministry of Justice building and winner of the first place award. I am always amazed by the creativity people show in using their natural resourses. 

While visiting the Johansons, we watched them pick mangos to send home with us. Sister J. was very adept at using that bamboo pole. We went home with a huge bag of fresh fruit!

The Avarua branch president cut down one of his own trees and delivered it to the church. The members are involved in figuring out how to apply lights and decorations to a tree this tall. One unnamed elder (Ward) suggested that perhaps the lights should have gone on before the tree went into the ground, but he was outvoted.

So why do things the easy way, when you have a brave 18-year old who is willing to risk his life for the cause?

In an interesting change of pace, the lights were applied last and in the dark. The tree was beautiful, if unevenly lit and many who passed by the church that evening, remarked on the fun all of the members seemed to be having. My job was to keep the children happy and out of the way of ladders and falling members, so we organized a lollie scramble. This scramble consisted of me throwing handsful of candy in the exact opposite direction from the tree and having the childen go for it. My parade experience came in handy that evening.

This is the Flambouyant tree and it only blooms at Christmas time. Although island weather did not feel like much Christmas to me, this tree is one of the things that suggests the sense of holiday to the islanders. The little hut is a bus stop. If the bus is late, you can always call a taxi, as the phone number for the company is painted on the inside of this little building. How convenient!

District conference has ended and we are now officially part of the Auckland New Zealand mission. I asked Ward is this could count as our having served two missions and you can guess at his response.

So, as always, we are happy and trying to work hard. We have been very happy on our little rock  and are finding our transition challenging. We hope that you have, from our photos, caught some of the flavor of life here. You may also understand why it is so difficult for us to think about the changes that we are facing. We are just a tad concerned, on the other hand, when we realize that that neither Tahiti nor New Zealand has any record of our release. No one seems to know that we exist. Perhaps our stay here will longer that we had anticipated. We will keep you posted on news as it develops. In the meantime, know that we miss you and are still having wonderful adventures in paradise.

Love, Ward and Susan                                                   Elder and Sister Belliston, serving in the Cooks

Adventures in Paradise 63

Adventures in Paradise 63

Kia Orana, everyone! Our excellent adventure continues with thoughts on being replaced. While we are well aware that no one is indispensible, it is with an odd sense of invisibility that we face the fact that someone else is going to be living the life here that we have loved. Just before Christmas we received the first of a series of e-mails from our replacements, Elder and Sister Scott from Delta, Utah. These e-mails were accompanied by an undercurrent of déjà vu. I was left feeling like the teenager, who upon meeting the new girl in school, wonders if people will like the new girl better. Will this new girl be more popular, more creative, more fun and just simply better liked?  Will we be forgotten before we are even back on American soil? While I am certain that the new couple are wonderful people, I can’t help but feel that we are in competition with each other. How do we face the challenge of being replaced? How much or how little information do we share with the new couple? How can we possibly leave our little island?

As I think about it, relating some of the things that I have learned is easy. The Scotts will surely benefit from our shopping tips. We know where to find the freshest meat and produce. We can direct them to the tastiest food at Saturday market. We can tell them where to find the best take-away burger and chips on the island, and for dessert, we can suggest Wigmores for an ice cream cone. We can be helpful in hinting that when they notice the supply of staples like flour, sugar, eggs and mayonnaise dwindling, they should stock up. Once the shelves are laid bare, they will stay that way until the next boat appears. The Scotts will learn to ask shopkeepers if they know when the next ship will arrive. They will learn to visit the dock to see if any new cargo ships are in the harbor. They will learn to live and plan accordingly .These are things that they need to know. But should I tell them that the John family likes my chocolate cupcakes and Alvey Nichols calls these cupcakes blue muffins?

We could share with our replacements the fact that there are no addresses on this island. To locate Danny Mataroa’s house, you go past the corned beef sign, past the second yellows and turn up by the banana tree. We could share that Danny will always give his visitors a weeks supply of his fresh produce when they leave, but should we also  tell them that Danny’s first grandson just turned one and has been walking since he was eleven months old? Can we possibly relate how much Danny loves this little guy?

Perhaps the Scotts would benefit from our vast experience with island culture. We could speak about kisses on the cheek and the custom of removing shoes before entering a humble home. They might need to know that as honored guests, they will always be expected to be the first in line at the buffet table. People will watch to see that their plates are properly filled and no one else will begin eating until they do. The new couple will need to be aware that here it is considered good manners to eat with ones fingers and to wash hands by wiping them on an available leaf. They should also learn to eat what is offered without asking what it is! They will learn to appreciate different drum beats and they will learn to love the dancing. Should we tell them also, that Lindsey Graham, who is a mesmerizing dancer and an honor student is leaving home to attend BYU-Hawaii? Can we possibly describe how much Lindsey’s mother is going to miss her only daughter? 

Should we add, here, that many of the brightest young people leave Rarotonga to attend school and never return? This beautiful island is lacking in opportunities for its children. Can we adequately convey how much loving parents miss their children?

We could spend valuable e-mail time sharing  little lessons on Cook Island Maori. Kia Orana is the greeting, which literally translated means, “May you live long.” How nice is it to greet everyone with that sweet thought. Ka kite tells someone that you will see them later, and Metaki Maata is thank you very much. While we could spend a great deal of time instructing our replacements on the Maori language, will they also be able to relate to the islands sense of generosity? Hopefully, they will learn soon enough to appreciate the kind gestures of fresh fruit delivered anonymously to their doorstep. They will experience first-hand how a family will gladly share what little food they have with a guest. They will discover that Mama Numa makes her living by nightly picking flowers and fashioning them into the eis that will greet visitors arriving at the airport the next morning. How can we describe the simple dignity with which our friends lead their lives?

We wonder as we consider our last eleven weeks here, if our replacements can possibly appreciate and love the people as much as we do? Will they find the customs as quaint and charming as we have? Will the children seem as beautiful to the Scotts as they do to us? Is it truly possible that we can be replaced? In truth, we already know the answer to all of the above questions is simply, “Yes.”  We know that those who come after us will love the people as much as we do. How could they not? We know that people here will love them in return. We know that those who follow will find the island as welcoming and beautiful as we have. They will appreciate its customs and its quaintness. There will be no argument that the children are beautiful and they will seem all the more beautiful because our replacements will love them just as much as we have. And we know that it is almost time for someone else to experience the joy of working in paradise. Will the Scotts bring a different perspective with them? Of course they will. This is what we would wish for them. It will not diminish the work we have accomplished, nor will it be a competition. The Scotts will bring the best of who they are, just as we have tried to do. That is enough. We are assured by our dear friends here, that we will be missed and that we will not be forgotten. We have promised them that we will feel exactly the same way. We will remember. We are also buoyed up with the knowledge that many of our friends will visit us in Salt Lake City sometime in the future. Some, in typical Polynesian fashion, have not asked, but rather informed that they will be staying with us when they arrive in Utah! Ah yes, island directness! We will proudly introduce our new friends to our old ones and it will be wonderful.

So, as usual, we are happy and trying to work hard. We have less than three months to go and much we would still like to accomplish. To be honest, between reluctantly retiring from a teaching job that I loved and now thinking about our approaching release, I have had about all of the “Replacement Syndrome” that I can handle. My new perspective is that I am looking forward to being the new kid on the block in my old neighborhood for just a little while. Please be assured that I have no desire to be the most popular. I don’t need to be the most creative, most fun or best liked. I simply want to be part of what has always held a special place in my heart. I wish to be home and want you all to be there too.

Love, Ward and Susan                  Elder and Sister Belliston, serving in the Cooks

This weeks photos are dedicated to the new mission couple. There are things that we think that they should know about our home, this island and the people we love. Please enjoy the view from Blackrock at our New Years kai kai.

Luna is two and has a mind of her own. She was excited to come to the beach and only changed her clothes five times during the day.

  

These beautiful mats are plastic and totally washable. They are a staple as floor covers in the homes, then people just fold them up and bring them to the beach.

Please meet the Salimonis. They brought their three children and enjoyed the day with us. Dr. Salomni is a pediatritian and he can be found at the Rarotonga hospital.

There is no dress code for the beach and the water. Just wear what you want and plan to get wet!

Ward and two friends are chatting under a coconut tree.This is not the safest place to sit OR park your car. Trust me on this! (hint: beware of falling coconuts!)

But we can see that in a pinch, a coconut can make an impromptu, if uncomfortable seat. 

Our chef for the day cooks up a batch of the usual. Here we see steaks and sizzle sausages (hot dogs).

This family is enjoying the sunshine after a full week of rain.Actually this party was postponed one week due to hurricane force winds and rain.

This is our friend, Sam, who is meeting this grandchild for the first time. He is hinting that he may not give her back, but we are not telling anyone!

Sister Salimoni and her beautiful son are happy to be at the beach. Although this is an island, many people live inland and do not have easy access to a beach. The Salinonis live high on the hill, so this was a real treat for them. They were some of the first to arrive and the last to leave.

The white line in the ocean marks where the reef is located. I love the fact that the ocean is two colors; turquoise inside the reef and navy blue outside. This is a very soothing view, isn't it?

The dress code for the day was casual! No shirt, no shoes, no problem!

This was a very relaxed game of volleyball. No one works too hard on a holiday. 

Clifton allowed the children to bury him, so now he is trying to dig himself out. He wants to be ready when his mission call arrives, hopefully sometime this month.

The truck full of drummers says it all. Happy New Year to everyone.

See you next week!